I wish only to reiterate the determination of the people of Israel to reach peace with all of Israel’s neighbours, including peace with Syria. This is a commonly held wish and hope of all the people of Israel, to lead to a peace which will make Israel more secure tomorrow, not less secure. But what …
The statement by the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Syrian Arab Republic, Mr. Farouk Al-Shara’, asserts that commitments were made by the parties during past Syrian-Israeli negotiations that constitute internationally binding undertakings which have been deposited with the United States. These …
As this is the first time my delegation takes the floor, I wish to congratulate you, Sir, on your election. We are certain that you will fulfil your obligations with distinction. We would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate your predecessor, Mr. Didier Opertti, for the exemplary manne…
Orwellian language that has really not been used since the breakup of the Soviet empire is in high gear again in the United Nations. For us to create a new world order based on peace and security, certain basic definitions have to be agreed upon by Member States. That language does not seem to be ag…
First, I would like to reiterate that the State of Israel supports the continued funding and strengthening of United Nations peacekeeping forces in general. Moreover, we point to certain examples, such as the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF), as models of the good work that peacek…
Israel has strong ties to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that go beyond the values the Declaration enshrines. Both the State of Israel and the Declaration sprang forth in the wake of the same international outcry to restore rights that were violated as never before.
The rights recognized…
This year, as in years past, Israel will join the consensus on the draft resolution contained in document A/53/L.54/Rev.1, entitled “Assistance to the Palestinian people”, and I would like to explain our position in this regard.
For many years, Israel has been cooperating fully with the United Nati…
As representatives of a nation that emerged from the ashes of the Holocaust, the most extreme, brutal and incomparable instance of genocide in human history, we the people of Israel have a unique role in punishing and preventing this atrocity. As witnesses to the crime at its worst, we have spearhea…
The situation in Lebanon has become a microcosm of the situation in the entire Middle East. The continuing failure of the Government of Lebanon to assert its authority over its own territory has produced a dangerous vacuum that has been exploited by the forces determined to undermine the stability o…
Nations arise over a certain land because of their historical experience, which preserves them as a distinct people over time, attaches them to a defined territory and allows them to be empowered with self- government. For centuries, the people of Israel were forcibly denied the latter quality of th…
Israel embraces the opportunity to host a historic in gathering of Christian pilgrims, marking two thousand years since the birth of Jesus in the ancient land then known as Judea. The Israeli Government, through its newly founded 2000 Authority,
This follows in a proud tradition of promoting religi…
Recently, a significant improvement has taken place in the Palestinian economy. A number of economic indicators show that a marked improvement occurred in the Palestinian Authority’s economic conditions in 1997 as compared to 1996 and that this improvement has continued into 1998. The economic growt…
I believe it is clear to all members of the General Assembly that disagreements exist between Israel and Lebanon and Israel and Syria. Yet we do have an agreed framework to work out our differences, the Madrid framework. The Madrid Conference was convened in October 1991 and we were able to begin ne…
It is regrettable that in today’s discussion of such a lofty, far-reaching and universal goal as the promotion of the culture of peace, this Assembly was subjected to inappropriate and inaccurate remarks specifically directed against my country by the representatives of Lebanon and Syria. I would th…
The delegation of Israel has joined the consensus on the resolution on this item for the fifth time in a row. In so doing, we are guided by the desire to make peace with our neighbours, all of which are members of the League of Arab States.
Today there is new hope for progress on the Israeli- Pales…
As the Prime Minister of Israel, I represent a State whose creation was envisioned, encouraged and advocated by the League of Nations 80 years ago and by the United Nations 50 years ago. That extraordinary recognition by the international community confirmed what the Jewish people have known and fel…
Israel opposes the draft resolution on participation of the Palestinian Observer Mission in the work of the United Nations because of both the preambular language, which serves as the basis of the draft resolution, and the operative elements proposed. The preambular part seriously misrepresents prev…
Fifty years ago the Jewish quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem surrendered. Its Jewish inhabitants were expelled. Fifty-eight synagogues, including the 700-year-old Hurva synagogue, were destroyed and desecrated. Free access of the Jewish people to their holy places, particularly the Western Wall, …
Israel joined the consensus, as we did on similar drafts in previous years, on draft resolution A/52/L.57/Rev.1, “Assistance to the Palestinian people”, and I would like to explain our position.
In this regard, we feel constrained to mention that in our opinion, assistance to the Palestinian people…
Israel follows with great interest the question of equitable representation on and increase in the membership of the Security Council. The membership of the United Nations today is several times what it was at the inception of the Organization. States in areas and regions which had not yet attained …
